once upon a time a vacation wasn’t a vacation (to me) if it didn’t include an amusement park. Now, I’d never bother to go to one again unless it’s for my kids OR it has a lot of something “new” to do or see.
1 Like
MK is my favorite!
TSM - I want all the points. I am slightly competitive.
1 Like
The first time I went to WDW was 1990, right after DHS (then Disney / MGM Hollywood Studios) opened. The ‘authentic Hollywood Studios’ experience was two hours - there was a backlot ride-through followed by a walking tour around sets and then into animation studios (we saw them working on three musketeers). The other attractions I can remember were a sound effect show, one where audience members were chosen to act in classic sitcom recreations, the IJ stunt show, Great Movie Ride, Star Tours and a Meet the Muppets movie. It made a very nice day, but I like today’s DHS much better.
1 Like
I think this is the bigger issue - I don’t think TWDC even knows the theme of each park anymore. The whole thing is a mess.
If HS could just be all the non-Princess movies that’d be a great theme… Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars … it’s a gold mine that’s sloppily managed.
3 Likes
I could go in - grab a coffee - visit BTMRR, 7DMT and leave
(for the coast and a cruise ship.)
1 Like
It saddens me to see that the overall vision of the parks seems to have been lost, somewhat, from the original visions of each. Even AK…why is Pandora there? It isn’t even Earth!
But over time, between changing visions of differing leadership and changes in economy, the visions got muddied, and somewhere along the line, it become more about selling various Disney IP products (you can never have enough stuffies! Right?).
As I mentioned earlier, if Hollywood Studios was renamed something akin to “Hollywood Adventures” then almost everything in the park makes complete sense.
EPCOT is taking on a whole new identity, so I’m excited for that transformation in the next few years.
But without a cohesive VISION, I think it reduces the overall experience.
MK is in the best shape, because it is still a single KINGDOM with multiple LANDS, each with it’s own “culture”. Tomorrowland is probably the least cohesive of the lands simply due to the fact they decided to inject Buzz and Monsters, Inc. into a land meant to be a vision of tomorrow. I guess I don’t MIND Tron going there, but it isn’t really a perfect fit to the theme.
1 Like
I remember those days. I also remember what EPCOT used to be.
I enjoy what HS is becoming. I skipped the GMR for most of our trips. It was one and done for me. I could ride TSM and SDD and MFSR all day long. I willingly waited for MFSR x 2 on the last trip and I’m only a minor minor fan. It was so different and fun.
I hope EP becomes fun. Just give me more fun Disney-themed rides already! I loved when they turned the seas into Seas with Nemo. I wish Soarin would be the UP balloon. I love the switch to FEA and am excited about Ratatouille (still hard to spell @terp05). I’d love to see them turn Figment into a ride through old time Disney movies ( Aristocats, Dalmatians, Lady/Tramp) or a Wreck-It-Ralph or something.
2 Likes
Or how about Disney’s Florida Adventures?..
DCA tries to stay themed to CA in the naming of sections, like FL, but it has Pixar Place and Monsters etc.
As far as the new identity of Epcot, I’m having a hard time seeing how GotG can fit into the ‘edutainment’ theme. If Tron was going there, I’d expect to see a pavilion or display on the current and future state of computing. We already have a space exploration theme with MS:O, and I doubt GotG will be all that realistic about it. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
I wouldn’t mind if each country in WS eventually had a ride or attraction. I like Ratatouille in France and there are other movie IPs available for ones like Morocco, Germany, Italy, and China.
Hmm. Nothing there is themed to Florida. It is all about Hollywood action (for the most part). Star Wars, Toy Story, Twilight Zone, Indiana Jones, etc. The one that stands out as not quite fitting is RnRC…but they could easily retheme that to something that is Hollywood based instead.
A drug bust?
1 Like
I agree there…but I also believe that GotG likely was given the green light before they came to any final vision for the “new” Epcot, so they have to make it all work.
Change a few signs and a few facades add some flamingos and you could Florida
No, no, no. Then NONE of the rides make sense there. 
The rides in DCA aren’t themed to California
1 Like
I would love if each country in EP had some sort of ride tied to some related Disney IP! For me, Disney is about visiting magical places that don’t really exist, so I love when they insert IP in random places, I would just prefer if I could understand what they were doing!
1 Like
True…but then, I always thought it was a stupidly named park.
1 Like
Me too.
1 Like
Disney has a reputation for poorly executed theming. People still come. I think they come for the rides more than the theming.
And Dole Whips.